Doddington Hall all set for eggsploration

Lincolnshire’s Doddington Hall is all set for Easter Eggsploration as it gears up for the opening of its 2018 season with brand new activities, spring trails, and new displays.

Easter Sunday (1 April) marks the start of the new season at Doddington Hall with plenty of activities lined up including a special Easter Eggsploration event over Easter Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday. There will be family fun with Jolly the Unicorn, and I-Spy trails for younger children and a fact-finding trail for older children with chocolate treats at the end of the trails.

There will also be a brand new digital spring trail that enables visitors to follow an interactive garden tour by using their smart phones and tablets. Visitors can download a special Gamar app from App Store or Google Play before their visit or at the Gatehouse’s WiFi hotspot. They can then follow the spring themed trail, scanning markers with their phones or tablets along the way to find out more about the garden’s spring flowers. The trails (and children’s treats) are included in the garden admission fee.

There will also be the chance to explore inside the impressive Elizabethan hall, which has more than 400 years of unbroken family history as the house too opens for the new season on Easter Sunday. The extensive collection of furniture, tapestries, ceramics and paintings will be joined by new displays this season.

Visitors will be able to see the Hagar and Ishmael painting, which has been away for restoration. The Baroque painting by Guido Reni will return to its home in the impressive Long Gallery, once again dominating one wall of the magnificent space. The 17th century picture was originally brought to Doddington by the Delaval branch of the family whilst on their Grand Tour of Europe.

A display of armour also returns to the hall this season after being on long-term loan with the National Civil War Centre. The armour was worn by John Hussey, the second son of Sir Edward Hussey and Lady Hussey. As part of a prominent Royalist family, John fought in the Civil War and was killed during the Battle of Lea at nearby Gainsborough in 1645. His armour, pierced by a musket ball, will be on display at the top of the house.